Executive Function Skills
How to Strengthen Executive Function: Practical Strategies for Everyday Success
Executive function is the brain’s “control center”—the set of mental skills that help us plan, focus, remember information, manage emotions, and get things done. Whether you're an adult juggling work and family life, a student trying to stay organized, or a parent supporting a child with attention challenges, strong executive function skills make daily life smoother and more successful.
The good news? Executive function can be strengthened with practice. Here are simple, research-informed strategies that build these essential skills over time.
1. Break Tasks Into Smaller, Clear Steps
Large tasks can overwhelm the brain, especially when working memory or planning skills are weak.
Try this:
Turn “clean your room” into “pick up clothes → make bed → put toys away.”
Use checklists or visual schedules for multi-step tasks.
Small steps create momentum—and momentum builds confidence.
2. Use External Supports (That’s Not Cheating!)
Planners, digital reminders, timers, sticky notes, and organizational tools reduce the brain’s cognitive load. These tools don’t replace executive function—they support it.
Helpful tools:
Timer for work/break cycles
Color-coded folders
Phone alarms
Visual calendars
Think of them as scaffolding that strengthens the structure beneath.
3. Practice “Future Thinking”
Difficulty with executive function often means difficulty imagining future consequences or outcomes.
Help build this skill by asking questions like:
“What will get in the way of finishing this?”
“What will tomorrow feel like if you do this today?”
“What’s the first thing future-you needs?”
This improves planning, organization, and impulse control.
4. Build Routines (Consistency = Freedom)
Predictable routines reduce stress and decision fatigue, making it easier to start tasks and follow through.
Morning, homework, and bedtime routines work especially well for kids and adults with ADHD or autism.
Start with just one routine and keep it simple. When daily rhythms become predictable, executive function strain decreases.
5. Strengthen Working Memory Through Practice
Working memory is holding information in mind while using it—an essential executive function skill.
Activities that help include:
Mental math
Memory games
Repeating directions out loud
Using visual cues and diagrams
Playing card games like Uno or Go Fish
Chunking information into bites
These are small exercises with big benefits.
6. Use the Power of Movement
Exercise increases blood flow to the brain and boosts executive function immediately and long-term.
Even short bursts help:
A five-minute walk
Stretching
Jumping jacks
Yoga or balance activities
Movement “wakes up” the brain for planning and problem-solving.
7. Teach Emotional Regulation
Emotional control and executive function are deeply connected. When emotions spike, planning and working memory drop.
To build emotional regulation:
Identify feelings (“I’m frustrated because…”)
Practice breathing or grounding techniques
Build cool-down spaces
Model self-talk: “I can pause and think about this.”
Regulated brains can plan, shift, and persist through challenges.
8. Strengthen Cognitive Flexibility
This is the ability to shift between tasks, adjust to changes, or see new solutions.
Practice by:
Trying new routes or routines
Encouraging brainstorming
Playing games that require rule changes (e.g., “Opposite Day” games, switching roles)
Flexibility allows the brain to pivot instead of getting stuck.
9. Keep Expectations Realistic
Executive function develops across childhood and continues into the mid-twenties. Progress is gradual.
Support looks like:
Offering choices
Building independence slowly
Using praise that focuses on effort and strategies, not just outcomes
Small gains compound over time.
10. Seek Support When Needed
For some individuals—especially those with ADHD, autism, learning differences, or traumatic stress—executive function challenges may be more significant. Occupational therapy, mental health support, or executive function coaching can provide structured, personalized strategies.
Getting help is a sign of strength, not weakness.